1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lock device of a sliding mechanism, in which in order to provide a unidirectional moving property to a moving member adapted to slide in one direction along a guide rail, sliding of the moving member in the opposite direction can be locked at a very small interval.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-113995 discloses a lock device of a sliding mechanism, in which a moving member is adapted to slide along a fixed guide rail and may be locked in numerous positions on the guide rail.
In the lock device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-113995, a series of locking holes are provided in the guide rail, and a plurality of locking claws are provided on a locking plate mounted on a runner adapted to slide along the guide rail. In a locking-off state of the locking plate, the locking claws are separated from the locking holes to permit free sliding of the runner. In a locking-on state of the locking plate, the locking claws are inserted into and engaged in the locking holes by an offsetting force of a locking spring to lock the runner in various positions on the guide rail.
However, in the lock device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-113995, the distance between the locking holes and the distance between the locking claws inserted into and engaged in the locking holes are set to be equal to each other. Therefore, a locking interval of the runner (moving member) is restricted by the distance between the locking holes, leading to a problem that the runner (moving member) cannot be locked at an interval smaller than the distance between the locking holes.